A Note on the Names in the two Preceding Ballads.
Most of the names in the two preceding ballads are found to have belonged to families of distinction in the north, as may be made appear from authentic records. Thus in
THE ANCIENT BALLAD OF CHEVY-CHASE
Ver. 112. Agerstone.] The family of Haggerston, of Haggerston near Berwick, has been seated there for many centuries, and still remains. Thomas Haggerston was among the commissioners returned for Northumberland in 12 Hen. VI, 1433. (Fuller's Worthies, p. 310.) The head of this family at present is Sir Thomas Haggerston, Bart. of Haggerston above mentioned.
N.B.The name is spelt Agerstone, as in the text, in Leland's Itinerary, vol. vii. p. 54.
Ver. 113. Hartly.] Hartley is a village near the sea in the barony of Tynemouth, about seven miles from North Shields. It probably gave name to a family of note at that time.
Ver. 114. Hearone.] This family, one of the most ancient, was long of great consideration, in Northumberland. Haddeston, the Caput Baronić of Heron, was their ancient residence. It descended, 25 Edw. I. to the heir general Emiline Heron, afterwards Baroness Darcy.-- Ford, &c. and Bockenfield (in com. eodem) went at the same time to Roger Heron, the heir male; whose descendants were summoned to Parliament: Sir William Heron of Ford Castle being summoned 44 Edw. III. Ford Castle hath descended by heirs general to the family of Delaval (mentioned in the next article). Robert Heron, Esq. who died at Newark in 1753, (father of the Right Hon. Sir Richard Heron, Bart.) was heir male of the Herons of Bockenfield, a younger branch of this family. Sir Thomas Heron Middleton, Bart. is heir male of the Herons of Chip-Chase, another branch of the Herons of Ford Castle.
Ver. 115. Lovele.] Joh. de Lavale, miles, was sheriff of Northumberland J4 Hen. VII. Joh. de Lavele, mil. in the 1 Edw. VI. and afterwards. (Fuller, 313.) In Nicholson this name is spelt Da Lovel, p. 304. This seems to be the ancient family of Delaval, of Seaton Delaval, in Northumberland, whose ancestor was one of the 25 barons appointed to be guardians of Magna Charta.
Ver. 117. Rugbe.] The ancient family of Rokeby, in Yorkshire, seems to be here intended. In Thoresby's Ducat. Leod. p. 253, fol. is a genealogy of this house, by which it appears that the head of the family, about the time when this ballad was written, was Sir Ralph Rokeby, Knt., Ralph being a common name of the Rokebys.
Ver. 119. Wetharrington.] Rog. de Widrington was sheriff of Northumberland in 36 of Edw. III. (Fuller, p. 311) Joh. de Widrington in II of Hen. IV, and many others of the same name afterwards. (See also Nicholson, p. 331.) Of this family was the late Lord Witherington.
Ver. 124. Mongon-byrry.] Sir Hugh Montgomery was son of John Lord Montgomery, the lineal ancestor of the present Earl of Eglington.
Ver. 123. Lwdale.] The ancient family of the Liddels were originally from Scotland, where they were Lords of Liddel Castle, and of the Barony of Buff. (Vide Collins's Peerage.) The head of this family is the present Lord Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle, in the county of Durham.
IN THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE
Ver. 101. Mentaye.] At the time of this battle the Earldom of Menteith was possessed by Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, third son of King Robert II., who, according to Buchanan, commanded the Scots that entered by Carlisle. But our minstrel had probably an eye to the family of Graham, who had this earldom when the ballad was written.-- See Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, 1764, fol.
Ver. 103. Huntleye.] This shows this ballad was not composed before 1449; for in that year Alexander Lord of Gordon and Huntley was created Earl of Huntley by King James II.
Ver. 105. Bowghan.] The Earl of Buchan at that time was Alexander Stewart, fourth son of King Robert II.
Ver. 107. Jhonstone -- Maxwell.] These two families of Johnstone Lord of Johnston, and Maxwell Lord of Maxwell, were always very powerful on the borders. Of the former family was Johnston Marquis of Annandale: of the latter was Maxwell Earl of Nithsdale. I cannot find that any chief of this family was named Sir Hugh; but Sir Herbert Maxwell was about this time much distinguished.-- See Doug. This might have been originally written Sir H. Maxwell, and by transcribers converted into Sir Hugh.-- See above, in No. I. ver. 90, Richard is contracted into Ric.
Ver. 109. Swynton.] i.e. The Laird of Swintone; a small village within the Scottish border, three miles from Norham. The family still subsists, and is very ancient.
Ver. 111. Scotte.] The illustrious family of Scot, ancestors of the Duke of Buccleugh, always made a great figure on the borders. Sir Walter Scot was at the head of this family when the battle was fought; but his great-grandson, Sir David Scot, was the hero of that house when the ballad was written.
Ibid. Stewarde.] The person here designed was probably Sir Walter Stewart, Lord of Dalswinton and Gairlies, who was eminent at that time.-- See Doug. From him is descended the present Earl of Galloway.
Ver. 112. Agurstone.] The seat of this family was sometimes subject to the Kings of Scotland. Thus Richardus Hagerstoun, miles, is one of the Scottish knights who signed a treaty with the English in 1249, temp. Hen. III. (Nicholson, p. 2, note.) It was the fate of many parts of Northumberland often to change their masters, according as the Scottish or English arms prevailed.
Ver. 129. Money.] The person here meant was probably Sir Charles Murray of Cockpoole, who flourished at that time, and was ancestor of the Murrays sometime Earls of Annandale.-- See Doug. Peerage.
Ver. 139. Fitz-hughe.] Dugdale (in his Baron. vol. i. p. 403) informs us that John, son of Henry Lord Fitzhugh, was killed at the battle of Otterbourne. This was a Northumberland family. Vid. Dugd. p. 493, col. 1. and Nicholson, pp. 33, 60.
Ver. 141. Harebotell.] Harbottle is a village upon the river Coquet, about ten miles west of Rothbury. The family of Harbottle was once considerable in Northumberland. (See Fuller, pp. 312, 313.) A daughter of Guischard Harbottle, Esq. married Sir Thomas Percy, Knt. son of Henry, the fifth, and father of Thomas, the seventh, Earls of Northumberland.
